The invention relates to imprinting, and, more particularly to the imprinting of cartons and the like with prescribed alphanumerical designations and other symbols.
Cartons, cases, and the like are imprinted with alphanumerical designations to indicate weights, contents, and other information. Printing is effected by use of a stamp coated with ink. The stamp is impressed by hand or by use of a rotary wheel against the item to be imprinted.
To change a numerical code or other symbol, the printing process is halted until the stamp is manually replaced with another. Unless all cartons are to be imprinted with the same code, the printing process must be halted until the stamp is replaced before cartons requiring a different code may be imprinted. Merger on the same conveyor of cartons requiring different codes, as where coding takes place by weight, therefore results in costly delays due to continual halting of the printing process, making such merger impracticable.
Codes can be changed without halting the printing process by use of control jet or video jet systems, which can be preprogrammed to print selected codes. These systems are extremely complex, however, and are capable of printing figures of up to only 1/4 of an inch in height.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to achieve rapid automatic change of alphanumerical codes and other symbols without interrupting the printing process. A related object is to achieve rapid change of codes without the need for manual replacement of stamps. A general object of the invention is to avoid costly delays in the printing process.
A further object of the invention is to avoid the necessity at each coding station of imprinting only cartons requiring the same code. A related object is to permit continuous imprinting of cartons, each requiring a different code.
A still further object is to achieve rapid automatic change of codes without the use of control jet or video jet systems. A related object is to effect such rapid automatic change of codes without the need for complex systems. Another related object is to avoid limitation of print size.